Ambient

(Brian Eno, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream)

Frozen Geese: The Starseed

Frozen Geese is made up of instrumentalists, Dave Lazonby and Graham Baily. Hailing from Leeds, UK, the duo is bent in energizing their listeners with their brand of psychedelic electronic rock. Their sound is both rough and smooth at the same time; providing listeners with a real treat for their senses. The Starseed is their first full record and was released in cassette only back in 2010. It might be weird and unusual to release their compilation in a format that's considered obsolete by many. Luckily, the duo couldn't stop the buzz around their music. They've finally made the record available as a digital download giving plenty of online music lovers a chance to hear this amazing album.

My Foolish Heart: Sootiness, Sonsy Girl

My Foolish Heart is a beautiful acoustic, alternative pop rock duo that was initially formed back in 2007. They started out doing covers of anything from Buddy Holly to Britney's Toxic and now they've finally branched out to release their own tracks. Sootiness, Sonsy Girl is their latest compilation. It's a beautiful mixture of melodies, acoustic guitars, vocal harmonies that's intertwined with a reflective, laid-back mood. Most of the songs were recorded with as minimal use of technology as possible. Opting instead for a cleaner, more raw performance by playing instruments that resound with an orchestra feel rather than electronics. Certainly, a nice album to retreat to.

Friction!: If You Turn Around You’ll See Me

Looking for the perfect background music to spend your quiet, moody mornings to? Give Friction! a try. The group is actually a one-man band composed of Swedish native, Pierre Björklund. The artist sings, writes, records and produces his own music. Currently, he's associated and signed onto Bakery Allstars Inc.; a non-profit organization that aims to release and share music, art or films to anybody who wants it. If You Turn Around You'll See Me is a moody, atmospheric album that's filled with piano laced tracks. It's perfect if you feel like relaxing or maybe reflecting on some of the more serious things in life. The compilation is offered free on Jamendo but you can also purchase the singles on iTunes to support the singer.

Born From A Shore’s Friends

Born From a Shore's five track EP, Friends, is a luscious indie folk pop compilation filled with twinkling background sounds and cool vocals. Although it's hard to find information about this group, (I think they're French) their EP is still worth listening to. Friends comes with 5 catchy tracks that incorporates a cool pop, sometimes laid-back jazzy kind of vibe. The vocal harmonies are excellent and the quality of the recording is quite good as well. It's very clear and crisp; very professional. Go ahead and take a listen to this wonderful EP. It'll take you to a dreamy landscape filled with wonderful strings, awesome melodies and sweet vocals.

Henrik José – The Little Things

Henrik José, formally known as Bliss, comes to us from Malmö, Sweden. He started making music with computers all the way back in 1995 and has been sharing his free and amazing sounds ever since 1997. And now, after a break spinning nearly three years, Henrik is finally back with his latest release of The Little Things (and I have to say it was well worth the wait). The EP, available through the netlabel 23 Seconds (hosting some of the great young aspiring artists) and being the first official release under his real name, is a perfect example of wonderfully put together electronica/pop sounds for just about any ear.

Frontregen: Frontregen

Frontregen is an indie Austrian band that create an eclectic pop punk indie rock sound. Their sound is characteristic of female sweet sounding vocals, a mix of alternative rock/pop beats and indie sensibilities. This self-titled album is a first for the group. It was released back in December 2010 and so far it's showcasing a lot of promise for this 5 piece crew. The entire album resonates with passion and energy; skillfully balancing a hard rock punk edge with that of sweet, pop folkish vocals. It's certainly worth checking out if you are a fan of these genres on their own.

Motorama: Alps

Russian fivesome, Motorama, has been steadily building a solid fanbase with their post-punk, Joy Division-inspired sound. The group has been around since 2005 but they only released their first full length album last year entitled, Alps. The sound is unmistakably a clash of new wave, 80s sound with slightly danceable beats and monotone vocals. Inspired by some of the more prominent bands in the past decades, they also cite The Strokes and The Coral as bands that they grew up listening to.

Las Canciones de Maru y Roman (Voy a Explotar Soundtrack)

Las Canciones de Maru y Roman is the soundtrack to the Mexican film Voy a Explotar; roughly translated as "I'm Gonna Explode!" The film tackles the story of Roman and Maru, two angry teens who decide to go on an adventure while making a pact to remain with each other at all times. The actual soundtrack which included music from the film, was initially geared for a commercial release, however, this didn't pan out. This current album is a compilation of 22 tracks handpicked by Carlos Reyes, the person behind Latin blog Club Fonograma. It is now the official soundtrack for the film and is offered absolutely free. Like the film, the record is an explosive combination of music genres, moods and instruments. Definitely a perfect accompaniment to this coming-of-age film.